REAR el 7% CL a a i rat BA J © ° 9 aN” . 8 nn B Women's health ago. the abortion issue. *. funding we get is allowed for any - type of abortion services in any The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, May 6, 1998. 5 (continued from page 1) ~.child care and a job, but they have no benefits. How are they going to fi! stay healthy and provide for their families? If women and children .are a priority, this should be a priority in the budget,” she said. Mary Lou Schaefer, executive director/CEO of Maternal and Family Health Services (MFHS) in ‘Wilkes-Barre, could not agree more. For the past 25 years, she ‘has worked as a nurse and ad- _ministrator for MFHS. She has also had to watch the once abun- dant bank account Swindle in ‘recent years. Getting some funding back From the $1 million Mundy fought for, MFHS of NEPA, a grantee, will divide $133,000 be- .tween 15 counties. The rest of the money will got to MFHS regional “grantees in the southeastern, cen- ~ tral and western part of the state. “We have been being cut since 1.21995. At least this will make up “for some of the lost money,” said “Schaefer. .The MFHS’s statewide budget isdown $718,000 from three years In 1995 the federal govern- ment issued $4.7 million to MFHS. By 1998 that figure had dropped to $8.8 million. The state has actually increased monies for women’s health by © 8122,000 in the last two years. MFHS will receive $3.1 million from the state this year, bringing its grand total to $6.9 million. When asked why legislators would oppose money for health care for the poor, Schaefer said she believes many people have - misconceptions about what fam- . ily planning is. “There is a misconception of None of the way, shape or form. Unfortu- . nately, there are people who can- not make that distinction. They lump family planning with abor- tion. Family planning is used to prevent the need for abortion, but . that gets clouded in people's ..minds. They don’t take the time .-.to go and get the facts,” said Schaefer. Family planning services pro- vided by MFHS include instruc- . tion in basic anatomy and physi- .- ology of reproduction; complete physical exam, including screen- ing services for the detection of other medical problems; instruc- tions for proper use of birth con- trol; counseling for medical/so- cial problems, referral to other services; follow-up and medical complication follow-up, and con- traceptive services that include supplies. Services do not include abortion "or abortion counseling or pregnancy testing. MFHS also provides prenatal and delivery care, a Women, In- fants and Children program and breast and cervical cancer detec- tion programs for older women. In 1997, MFHS served 2,888 women in Luzerne County, nearly half of whom received care under the block grant programs. Bob Cunningham, director of family planning, said that adds up to more than 10,000 visits, since Senior group to learn about volunteerism Amy Gwiazdski, a representa- tive of the Volunteers of America organization will be the guest speaker at the monthly business meeting of the Back Mountain Senior Citizens, May 7. Ms. Gwiazdski's subject will concern the duties of “Care-Giv- ers”. There will be a question and answer period following the pre- sentation. The meeting will start at 1 p.m. at the Father Sammon’s Hall, lower level of St. Therese’s Church, y Shavertown. COOK'S PHARMACY ‘eo Computerized Prescription Service ® Russell Stover Candies e Greeting Cards * PA Lottery Tickets © Newspapers ® Magazines 159 N. MemorialHwy.,\ Shavertown, PA (675-1191) each client makes an average of about 2.5 visits per year. A question of perception Schaefer and Cunningham be- lieve many legislators and the public have the wrong idea about who MFHS helps. They say many assume that only teenage, single mothers visit the clinic and that somehow the clinic encourages irresponsibility. “We know the public percep- tion to be wrong and we cannot correct that misconception,” said Cunningham. “We don't like the fact that adolescents are having children. We counsel them on the importance of their decision and encourage them to speak with their parents. We are parents of teenagers, we are uncles and aunts ourselves.” Also, people think anyone who walks into an MFHS clinic can” just ask for and receive contra- ceptives. Schaefer emphasizes that everyone seeking birth con- trol must have an examination and be screened for Chlemydia, a sexually transmitted disease that can cause sferilization in women. Cunningham points out that MFHS services are a part of health care. “Cervical cancer is com- pletely preventable, but the women who can’t afford examina- tions will not get help. Then if a woman finally gets checked when she’s older and she has cancer, then it will be more costly for her and taxpayers. In the northeast region, 50 per- cent of MFHS’s patients are be- tween 20-29 years old. More than 50 percent either receive free health care or are under a medical assistance program because they are at or below the poverty line. Thirty-seven percent of the pa- tients pay on a sliding scale. State representative George Hasay voted against Mundy's $6 million proposal because he did not want to take money out of the tourism fund and does not want to support private agencies. When asked if tourism was more impor- tant than women's health care, he said it was a good question, but said Mundy should have sought the money from elsewhere. “I'm a proponent of state health centers,” he explained. “More leg- islators are aware of these centers than family planning. I'm experi- enced with the people the state centers serve, impact and the ser- vice they provide.” Hasay said he would be willing to visit a family planning clinic to familiarize him- self the services they provide and who they help. Hasay said it is not definite that he would never support fam- ily planning. “It depends on the details and issues,” he said. He did say that the issue of abortion - turned him and others off to fam- ily planning. MFHS was established in 1971 toadminister comprehensive fam- ily planning services to women in need in Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties. direct services through five of its own clinics in Wilkes-Barre, Milford, Pottsville, Honesdale and Tunkhannock and by contract through clinics of other health providers. In 1997, more than 36,000 women were treated by this clinic network. Schaefer said the number is growing every year. MFHS was organized under the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act of 1970, which was enacted by Congress. The act authorized the Depart- ment of Health, Education and Welfare to make grants and to make contracts with public or non-profit private entities to as- sist in the establishment and op- eration of voluntary family plan- ning projects. Northeast Floor { Na by Rd Web Py X hor Firinut > Sip: 65, Loa XE A HURRY IN! ps es & Wall Inc. + Interior Decorating Center NO PAYMENT — DEFERRED INTEREST High Quality 100% Nylon Up to 40 Square Yards SPRING CARPET SPECIAL Durable Textured Saxony 70 Fashionable Colors & Silver Series AVERAGE LIVING ROOM , AND DINING ROOM Congoleum on Sale 58 /. 5 0B steis INSTALLED WITH BETTER PAD ON SALE NOW . Mannington Gold Selected Stock o Luxury Vinyl Tile Two Patterns in Stock 5 (0) 8) CTY (1) 8 Thurs. 9-8, Fri. 9:00 to 6 Sat. 10 - 5, Sun. 12:30 -4:00 312 Route 309, Wilkes-Barre Township Boulevard Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 e Phone 829-4475 (Next to Kost Tire, across from Wegmans) Canvas Nylite www.sneakerking.com SUT Le The Right Stuff...The Right Price Scouts receive awards at Gate of Heaven This is the list of Cub scouts receiving awards at Gate of Heaven on April 26. The teacher was Heide Cebrick. The coordinator was Rosemary Taylor. Light of Christ Awards:Pack 155: Matthew Alfano, Nicholas Frey, Paul Green, Cody McHutchison, Michael McHutchison, Joshua Pavlico, Kyle Piazza, Anthony Rubbico, Dominick Trombetta, and Eric Tucker.Pack 232: Joseph Balavage, Casey Baldwin, Julian Bartarillo, Carl Bartizek, Patrick Brady, John Frederick, Ben Gardner, Ryan Gregory, Thomas McGrath, Alex Puhalla, Ryan Regan, Kevin Rose, Michael Supczenski, Zackary Wallick, Zackary Ryan, Michael Tonart. It provides Introducing The Money Market Extra Account. | The high rate of a CD with extra flexibility. Open a Money Market Extra Account today, and you'll get a high rate, plus the ability to deposit additional funds at any time. Our FDIC insured Money Market Extra Account is the perfect way Money M Market Extra for you to get both security and freedom from one investment. To learn more, visit any of our offices, ~ including our supermarket locations open seven days a week. Call the yaiEnniesed [FA] Center at 1 800 MELLON-24. Or visit our website at www.mellon.com. @ Mellon Bank © 1998 Mellon Bank Camporation. *You rriust depos at least $25,000 with funds nat currently on deposit with Mellon to open a Money “Market Extra Account. A minimum dally balances of $26,000 Is required to eam the 5.25% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) and avoid the $15.00 monthly service charge. Withdrawals can be made the first seven business days of each quarter without being assessed a 1% withdrawal fee: ARY is accurate as of the date of this publication. Fees could reduce samings on the account. Rates are subject to change before and after the account is opened; Offer not available in Melon PSES. MeflonDirect 24 is a service mark of Mellon Bank NA: Mellon Bank, NA. Mellon Bank (DE) National Association-Members FDIC. her Tarp Low : a (slight blemish) “SALE * YOUR CHOICE ” COUNTRY CLUB SHOPPING CENTER, DALLAS MAIN ST., PLAINS MUNDY ST.,W-B MT. POCONO PLAZA + WIND GAP PLAZA ROUTE 6, DICKSON CITY « ROUTE 6 MALL, HONESDALE VALMONT SHOPPING CENTER, HAZLETON WESTFALL TOWN CTR, MATAMORAS
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers